Honey Bee Farming
Honey bee farming is worldwide considered a handy source of income generation, with little financial and technical input. The HAI is currently running 3 projects at Dhirkot and Chihala (AJK), respectively, which have shown tremendous results. Apart from due technical training, the beneficiaries were provided with honey bee boxes and safety kits to run their projects on scientific basis, respectively.
Each beneficiary of the project is earning not less than Rs. 0.2m annually at the moment and is all set to enhance it gradually. The quality of the honey produced at these farms was highly acclaimed at a national event organized at the National Agriculture Research Council (NARC) back in 2013.
Encouraged by the success of the pilot projects, the HAI has planned to promote honey bee farming at a wider scale in AJK and would encourage womenfolk in particular to come forward and adopt it as a highly rewarding professional. The HAI-Pak is also in negotiation with the concerned state department in AJK to popularize this profession in the area.
Kisan Maila thronged by farmers and visitors alike
Honeybee stalls attract special attention
Human Appeal believes that agriculture holds the key to uplift the economic status of marginalized people in different parts of Pakistan. To create awareness on the real potential of agriculture and encourage farmers not shy of exploring unorthodox options, it regularly organizes different activities, which are participated by people coming from different walks of life, including government departments.
During the quarter under review, Human Appeal organized a Kisan Mela at Dhirkot, Azad Kashmir, to provide an opportunity to the farmers to showcase their near-organic products at a bigger scale. As many as 40 farmers, including women, participated in the event and displayed their products, including but not limited to, honeybee, maize, wheat, carrot, radish, garlic, spinach and cabbage.